'As I See It Summer Tour 2009' ended tonight as the lights dimmed and I walked off stage at Malibu Pizza.  We had numerous 'firsts' tonight. !) There was a telephone solo in the middle of the show. 2) Snapple bottle and knife were used for rhythm looping.  3) Freddie the server rap/sang a freestyle on Sun. 

Thanks to everyone who came out this summer.  I always enjoy seeing familiar faces and hanging out in America's heartland.  See you next year.

As always...'Til next time, savor the sunshine, embrace the rain, and always remember to smile!
-RK

Mendel made me some fresh popcorn for the drive to Davenport.  Yummy!  The drive was a bit confusing as the interstates seemed to be going through a triple bypass surgery!  Notice the ridiculously large pen that one of the servers is sporting.  After the show, I was treated to a gorgeous lightning display on the way to Chicago.  After a couple days of hanging out, a round of golf, and some family time, I'll play my final show of 'As I See It Summer Tour 2009.'

'Til next time, savor the sunshine, embrace the rain, and always remember to smile!
-RK

My brother Mendel woke me up today and said I had 5 minutes to leave for a mystery journey.  This journey ended up taking us through the back roads of Eastern Iowa.  Our first stop was the Sutliff Cider Company.  We enjoyed samples, a tour of the facility and a fresh, delicious bottle of Hard Cider directly from the bottling room.  After we had our "fruit" food group, we moved on to Kalona, where we wandered through a small street fair and ate buffalo burgers and freshly made fries... our "meat" and "vegetable" food group.  Before we made our way to our final stop, we of course needed to get a serving from the "cotton candy" food group.  Mendel and I headed toward two silos in the distance, where we came across the Kalona Cheese House.  W ith quite a selection to choose from, I ordered some squeaky cheese for a mid afternoon snack.

After a short nap, we headed up to Dubuque.  The drive was pretty, as the often flat land of Iowa turned into rolling hills and valleys. I ran into a couple from Columbus at the show, small world.  It again was very humid and a pleasure to play inside.  The staff was super friendly.  Oh, I almost forgot, this guy bet me that if I could eat 6 Blazin' wings, he'd buy a  CD.  Well, needless to say, I finished all 6 in a matter of about a minute.  Poor sap... :)

'Til next time, savor the sunshine, embrace the rain, and always remember to smile!
-RK

I'm not sure the adults in Cedar Rapids were prepared for live music in a traditionally wing, sports, and beer driven venue.  The kids however, couldn't stop dancing.  I really enjoyed watching the kids leave their tables and jam out in front of the stage.  Perhaps in another year, the parents will be ready to jump up and dance in the middle of B-dubs too. :)  After the show, we walked over to the Tilted Kilt for a beer.  Their Boddington's on tap was some of the best I've ever had. 

'Til next time, savor the sunshine, embrace the rain, and always remember to smile!
-RK

The drive to Coralville was really peaceful.  In my opinion, Iowa will certainly maintain its position as a leader in alternative energy.  The fields  of windmills certainly will have a positive impact on the state and will hopefully inspire other areas to jump on the alternative energy bandwagon.  I stopped at the Williamsburg outlets to poke around, and found a sweet watch at Fossil.

The humidity preceding last night's show was indescribable.  It was the most foul feeling sweat I've ever experienced.  It was difficult to breathe and I couldn't even have imagined playing outside.  On a happier note, the weather inside B-dubs was much cooooooooler.  After the show, Mendel brought me to the Old Capitol to  be interviewed for "As Daniel Sees It," a new web-based mini show.  I played "I'm Home" on the Old Capitol steps, looking out at the downtown area, as I reminisced about my days at the University of Iowa.

'Til next time, savor the sunshine, embrace the rain, and always remember to smile!
-RK

I really enjoy hanging out at Cellar 19 each year.  Jon's wine bar is a hidden jewel tucked in the rolling fields of Council Bluffs.  As always, it was a treat to see old friends that have been coming to shows for more than a decade, and it's a true pleasure to return to the city that gave me my start.

I highly recommend the roast beef and jalapeno sandwich as well as the turkey and corn chowder.  The weather held out for us, fortunately, as the report was all over the place earlier in the day.

'Til next time, savor the sunshine, embrace the rain, and always remember to smile!

-RK

I almost missed visiting with Steve King today.  I was stuck in the traffic that his staff was reporting on.  Fortunately, I made it with 2 minutes to spare.  I enjoyed returning to perform on Steve’s show.  I’ll be posting a link to the mp3 of the segment as soon as it is available.

On another note, for the last few years, my mom has been telling me about seeing wild turkeys in the front yard.  As far as I could remember, there were NEVER wild turkeys in the yard while I was growing up.  I seriously thought she might be drinking Wild Turkey, because every time she’d call to tell me about the turkeys in her yard, the number kept growing.  At last count there were 20-30 that she reported.  Ready for it…TODAY I SAW A TURKEY IN MY MOM’S FRONT YARD CROSSING THE ROAD WITH HIS FRIENDS!  It was very funny the way they strut away when you walk toward them.  They don’t run, they just sort of saunter away.  Well, at least I know my mom isn’t drunk or going mad…

'Til next time, savor the sunshine, embrace the rain, and always remember to smile!

-RK

On the way from Manhattan to Lincoln, I stopped in at Amigo's in Beatrice, NE, my once a year location for the infamous "Cheesy Burrito."  I order this cheesy mess of goodness wrapped up in a flour tortilla, and cover it with their signature spicy cheese sauce.  Although they refuse to share the recipe, I'm convinced they will break down one of these days...

Ahhh, the Roadhouse.  It's quite a delight to come back to this venue each year.  There's always something fun happening there,  and an eclectic audience from bikers to ballers, preppies to oldies.  The staff are always fun and friendly and the ranch dressing is sa-weeeet.  I closed the show with a funky jammed out Purple Rain, and quickly loaded up so I could sleep a few hours before an early, early flight to the Twin Cities.

On my way to Council Bluffs, IA after the show, I had the great fortune to drive 75 mph on the interstate, legally.  This is one of the few places I've ever seen a 75mph zone, if not only one.  I tried to get a picture, but I was moving too fast. :)

'Til next time, savor the sunshine, embrace the rain, and always remember to smile!

-RK

 

There is a certain amount of pride I feel when I have the opportunity to perform for those who have served our country.  Sacrificing time, energy, and in many cases their lives, our armed forces put so many things on the line each day to protect our country.  It is very satisfying to play at the VFW each year as my way of thanking our service men and women and their families.  Below you will find a slew of pictures from the trip from Southern Illinois to Kansas City to Manhattan.   During my stay in Kansas City, I had the chance to chow down at Jack Stack's BBQ and catch up with old friends.  JS was ultra delicious.  In Manhattan, my host Cortney was an excellent tour guide, taking me to some local favorites including the Kat House and The Chef.  Although opinions varied wildly about what music the crowd "thought" I should be playing, I got up and did my thing and hopefully, I was able to thank our foreign war vets in the way I know how, and with the respect they deserve.


'Til next time, savor the sunshine, embrace the rain, and always remember to smile!
-RK

Steve and I drove back to Cobden for more Shawnee Wine Trail fun today.  The weather wasn't quite as amazing, but the rain held off until we finished playing.  This was our first time visiting Rustle Hill, and what a sight it was.  The grounds were spacious with a large amphitheater, small pond, and plenty of seating.  The stage was neatly tucked into the two level patio and gave us a spectacular view of the winery.  I often lost myself during certain instrumental jams, just looking out over the land.  I'll be spending some time working out some new material over the next few days before I head out to Kansas City, and eventually Manhattan for Friday's show.

On the way back from the show, it sounded like it was raining against the windshield.  That thin piece of glass between the road and the steering wheel ultimately led to the demise of many, many small bugs.

'Til next time, savor the sunshine, embrace the rain, and always remember to smile!
-RK